Parental leave and pay review: call for evidence

We argue that this misalignment, particularly for agency workers, gig workers, and those in atypical employment, creates confusion and unfair outcomes where individuals can receive pay without leave, or leave without pay.

We urge policymakers to adopt ‘simplicity and certainty’ as core objectives, and in the absence of wholesale reform of the status regime, at least consider discrete reforms — such as making parental pay an employment right payable directly by the government — to prevent vulnerable workers from falling through the cracks.